'As far as the 'Heavy Metal' posting goes, I was responding to what I believed to be on offer as 'folk' - certainly fits the 'non-definition' definition some clubs choose to put on.
If that is 'folk' the term has become meaningless.
Won't get any argument from me on that one Jim, adding a traditional instrument to a heavy metal band no more makes it folk than a mandolin on the intro to a Rod Stewart song.

'A question - if some people dislike the stuff that brought us into this music so much - why do they with topo associate their music with it- or are they setting out to destroy the old music and replace it with theirs?'
Not sure whether this was an open question, Jim, or just aimed at me, but I certainly don't dislike what brought us into this music, as well as 'rocking it up' a bit with The Hounds, I sing unaccompanied, or with acoustic instruments, and listen to a wide variety of traditional song. Personally, I don't feel that we are in any way setting out to 'destroy' the old songs, as a large number of our repertiore is traditional, but rather help to preserve them and perhaps give them a wider audience. I'm aware that a drum kit and electric instruments are not your cup of tea, but we'll have to agree to differ on that one ;)

Have fun with the flax!